1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of shrink wrapped pallets and to methods and apparatus for preparing shrink wrapped pallets for securing objects.
2. Background Art
The process of shrink wrapping articles is well known in the art. Typically, the article or collection of articles to be wrapped is first covered with a shrink film such as polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene soft shrink material. The wrapped article is then located within a surrounding environment that causes the shrink film to shrink or contract about the article. Typically, the air surrounding the wrapped article is heated to between 275.degree. F. and 350.degree. F. and blown onto the shrink film covered article while it is conveyed through a shrink tunnel. The hot air shrinks the shrink film onto the article. If the article happens to be flat and flimsy or easily warped or curled or bent, then the pressure exerted on the article by the shrinking shrink wrap is frequently enough to cause distortion or bending of the article.
Alternatively, if one wishes to wrap larger or heavier articles, then one faces a similar set of problems as with small or flimsy articles. Bulky articles may be difficult to pass through the shrink tunnel or need additional support for transportation. Adding a backer board may provide necessary support, but may also reduce the efficiency of the shrink process by absorbing the heat used to shrink the shrink wrap.
Additionally, the typical shrink wrap that has been used heretofore is not reusable. Once the article to be wrapped has the shrink film shrunk about it, the user normally tears the shrink wrap in the removal process. Nor can the shrink wrap normally be reused for an article having even slightly different dimensions due to the shrink wrap matching the contours of the article about which it is shrunk.
Relating to the collapsible boxes known prior to the present invention, typically the foldable cardboard boxes such as those manufactured by Fellowes Manufacturing Co. of Itasca, Ill. 60143 are assembled by folding a series of flaps to form a box with sides having holes for carrying the box by the user. However, these typical types of storage boxes have no means to secure objects placed within the box from slipping about the carton. If articles were loosely placed in such boxes, the articles would move within the box as the box is turn upside down or otherwise undesirably moved. No means are typically provided to "lock-in" an article to be transported within the box.
While the above cited references introduce and disclose a number of noteworthy advances and technological improvements within the art, none completely fulfills the specific objectives achieved by this invention.